Trey Gowdy (R-SC) hammered on IRS Commissioner John Koskinen for failing to answer some of Congress’ questions because the Inspector General was also investigating. Koskinen stated that once the IG begins an investigation, the agency will not run a competing investigation. Koskinen posited that he believes it would be very difficult to interfere with the IG’s examination.

Gowdy schooled the commissioner:

“The IG doesn’t have criminal jurisdiction. The IG doesn’t have jurisdiction over legislative policy. The IG doesn’t have jurisdiction over appropriations. All three of those are very important areas. So those should be ongoing even while an IG is doing his or her investigation. Correct?”

Koskinen persisted that he was right:

“Actually the IG does do criminal investigations.”

Gowdy continued the lesson:

“No sir, they refer to an entity that actually has the power to indict, which does not include the IG.”